


Steve Rogers: Faerie with a Plan

by Judy_The_Dreamer



Series: Faerie prince Steve Rogers and his not so secretive aquatically-inclined friends [3]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Faerie AU, Family Fluff, Gen, Minor Bucky Barnes/Natasha Romanov, Natasha Romanov Is a Good Bro, Pre-Serum Steve Rogers, Pre-serum Steve Rogers transforming into Post-serum Steve, Shifter AU, Steve POV, Steve Rogers & Natasha Romanov Friendship, Steve Rogers Needs a Hug, Steve is an idealist and stubborn, idk - Freeform, man with a plan, supportive friends, will we ever get revenge on the rhinoceros
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-10
Updated: 2019-04-19
Packaged: 2020-01-10 22:03:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,325
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18416741
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Judy_The_Dreamer/pseuds/Judy_The_Dreamer
Summary: Deprived of believers by the modern world, Steve Rogers is perhaps the most lacklustre earth faerie prince you’ll ever meet. Good thing he’s a man with a plan. Unfortunately for Steve, he hasn’t quite figured out that the people he’s charming aren’t exactly human in every sense of the word.With every believer he earns, Steve grows stronger and...stranger.





	1. The Fella with the Tentacles

**Author's Note:**

> This is the AU that writes itself, I swear.
> 
> Multi-chapter, probably 5+1 format.

Steve was six when his mother told him he’d never grow as tall or strong as the other earth faerie boys. Too few believers fuelling too many supernatural lives. Steve had literally lost the evolutionary lottery. 

Heartbroken, he’d locked himself into his room and read his biggest book on fairy tales from cover to cover. Why would humans choose not to believe in this wonderful world of dreams and princesses, where every feat of virtue was doubly rewarded? They must lead such sad and unimaginative lives.

When he finally emerged from his sanctuary, answering the siren call of sweet apple pie, Sarah had pulled him into a tight hug and promised she’d always believe in him even if no one else did.

It was like a lightbulb flicked on somewhere above Steve’s head.

People could be made to believe. He’d seen it enough on the television and on Sundays when Brooklyn’s residents sauntered over to the local churches  to pay their respects to someone they could not see. Would it be so difficult to make them believe in a living, breathing faerie sharing their beautiful city? [No.]

 

**Case in point: Believer #1 (Technically #2, or #1.5. Sorry, ma.)**

 

Earth faeries were a terribly theatrical bunch. Steve knew for a fact that if it had been one of his relatives who’d tumbled into the water, they’d now be pretending to be on their deathbed and the entire family would be oohing and aahing as they nodded along to their story sympathetically.

Steve prided himself on being made from a very different wood...or earth. Clay? Whatever.

So, no. Steve wasn’t lingering in bed, waiting for the metaphorical angel of death to come release him from this earthly existence. Despite the fact he now sported a head cold, he was up and about the next day, trying to immortalise the shimmer of water he’d seen high above him.

Beautiful, really. The blues, greens and greys intermingling endlessly. 

Steve couldn’t understand why his fellow earth faeries shied away from the coastal waters, and he’d actually experienced the dangers it held. He wondered at what lurked in the deep depths he’d almost sunk into.

Aquatic shifters, probably, if such a thing existed. (Damn rhinoceros chasing him away from Sunday school. Steve felt like such a noob sometimes. Honestly, he was glad Bucky was only human, those were fairly straight-forward.)

Speaking of the Devil, he perked up as his roommate returned home. Bucky came over to greet him and pulled him into a hug that Steve rose up to accept gratefully (his bones ached, possibly oncoming flu). Bucky’s jacket smelled of salt and sea air from his job, telling the faerie that his friend had been out on the coast guard boats again. It had quickly become one of Steve’s favourite smells. He had to lean over slightly to get a good whiff from Bucky’s open collar.

“Fucking hell, Stevie,” Bucky cursed. Steve didn’t know what startled him, he was just funny like that sometimes. “What have you been eating? You’ve grown like a beanstalk!”

Huh. Pulling away from the embrace, Steve realized he didn’t have to look up to meet Bucky’s eyes. They were very nearly of the same height.

In his magical heart of hearts Steve knew his plan had worked. With a grin, he dragged the wide-eyed human in for another hug. “Thanks for believing in me, jerk.”

Bucky huffed, but clutched him closer anyway. “Punk.”


	2. That Spider with a Fashion Sense

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Meeting your future sister-in-law doesn't always go smoothly.

**Case in point: Believer #2**

 

About a week after his impromptu growth spurt, Steve discovered that more than half of his wardrobe now failed to cover either his ankles, his midriff or both. (Which was a bloody shame since he loved his comfy jumpers more than anything.)

Money being tight for the faerie until the next wave of his art commissions went out, Steve had little choice but to enter the dangerous wilds of Bucky’s bedroom to raid his closet. The clothes would hang off his frame awkwardly because he lacked his friend’s bulk, but it would be a whole lot less embarrassing in the long run. After nearly twenty-five years of being the lightest person in the room, he was very used to possessing an ill-fitting wardrobe. Small drop in a bucket and all that.

Thinking tactically, Steve had decided Thursday morning was the ideal time to strike. Bucky had an early shift planned and would be cruising around the harbour for a few hours, so there’d be enough time for a quick excursion. So at 7:30 am sharp, Steve stuck his head outside his bedroom door, listened intently for approaching best friends and scurried across the apartment when all remained silent. 

Elated at the early success of his mission, the faerie threw open the bedroom door and beheld the closet that held his salvation- and the disheveled woman lounging casually on Bucky’s bed. 

With a shriek, Steve jumped backwards out of the room and dashed to the relative safety of the kitchen, heart beating a hundred miles per hour. His flight went accompanied by startled laughter and the faerie felt his cheeks flush with embarrassment.  _ Sweet summer king _ , maybe he should learn to knock first. But in his defense, it had been a long while since Bucky’d had a girl over, much less left her alone as he went to work. This one must be a special case and Steve had already managed to fuck up their first meeting.

“You alright over there, Steve?” The woman, dressed in nothing but Bucky’s navy blue sweatshirt which was slipping dangerously low over one shoulder, poked her head into the kitchen to see him leaning against the kitchen counter, panting. “I’d hate to have given you a heart attack before breakfast.”

Flustered, Steve tried not to look at her exposed legs, focusing instead on the bright red hair laying over her left shoulder. “Nope,  _ completely _ fine. You know my name?”

“Oh yes!” Her smile was wide and earnest. “Bucky told me all about you. I’m Natasha.”

She offered him her hand which he shook gratefully. If she was willing to look past that encounter, he wasn’t going to change her mind. “Pleased to meet you.”

“Likewise.” Natasha’s eyes swept up and down to take in his pitiful assembly of too short sleeping clothes before shooting him a mischievous grin. “I’ve got a guess about what you were up to.”

By now, Steve’s cheeks burned like they were on fire, ruining the offended air he wanted to give off. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

If possible, her grin widened. “Oh come on,” she said, grabbing hold of his arm and pulling him back through the hallway towards Bucky’s bedroom. “I know of at least three shirts that would look better on you than on James. He’s definitely not a spring colour person.”

In a matter of minutes and a whirlwind of clothing items, she had him decked out in Buck’s finest and was busily adjusting the fit of his sleeves while Steve shared a stricken look with his reflection in the mirror. She was right, the colours did suit him fine, but his lack of muscle mass still made him feel like a little boy wearing his father’s fancy clothes.

“People don’t tend to find me very impressive,” Steve admitted quietly, studying the ground and Natasha’s carefully manicured feet. 

She patted his shoulders comfortingly where the fabric distribution was uneven. “I believe that’s about to change very soon, фея.”

Steve didn’t understand that last bit, but her vote of confidence flowed through him like a warm wave. Even if Bucky’s clothes didn’t hold all the solutions to his problems, the faerie suspected he’d made a friend who’d help him tackle the rest. 

(And honestly, Steve enjoyed the terrified look on Bucky’s face when he returned and spotted the two of them cosying up on the couch as they watched awful daytime TV. “Gods, no. Now there’s two of you.”)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Russian endearment Natasha uses literally translates to 'fairy'.


End file.
